Singer



April 24, 1951 J. SINGER 2,550,647

BELT SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed Feb. 10, 1949 3Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR N EY April 24, 1951 .1. SINGER 4 BELT SUPPORTSTRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb 10, 1949ATTO R N EV April 24, 1951 J. SINGER Filed Feb. 10, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet3 I Z5. 5 I "Z5- f E I JZ F 7 A3 7 I ,A ill/17C ATTO R N EY PatentedApr. 24, 1951 BELT sUProR'r STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME JosephSinger, Hart, Mich. Application February 10, 1949, Serial No. 75,671 Y I12 Claims.

This invention relates to garments such as trou ers, slacks shorts,skirts and other garments having detachable belts and particularly togarments having belt receiving channels of the type generally termedblind belt' straps as being* substantially indistinguishable visuallyfrom the remainder of the garment, the belt straps in the presentinstance being associated with and formed from the upper. parts ofpleats made in the upper part of the garment to extend downwardly fromthe waist portion.

More particularly the invention relates to a continuation-in-part of myprior application for patent on Garments filed June 26, 1947, and bearing the Serial Number 757.094, now abandoned. One principal purpose ofthis invention is to provide a novel construction of garment having anovel construction of combinedblind belt straps and pleats at the waistportion of trousers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel trousersconstruction wherein the garment is finished at the waist by meansobviating the necessity of using a waist band while, at the same time,providing the novel arrangement of blind belt strap and pleat.

Until the development of my prior invention above referred to,difiiculty was found in combining blind belt straps with pleatedgarments and a further object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved method of cutting, forming and stitching the garment materialwhereby areas detached from the body of the garment at the side edges ofpleats are formed, such areas constituting blind belt straps.

Still another object of the invention is to produce'such an arrangementof pleats and blind belt straps withoutweakening the construction of thegarment.

Further, an object of the invention .is to pro.- vide an improvedconstruction wherein blind belt straps are formed of material in partintegral with that of the remainder of the garment so that such beltstraps will not work loose from wear or stress on the stitching used informing such straps.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ingeneral of certain novel details of construction, combinations of partsand the folding and stitching thereof, the invention also consisting inthe method of slitting, folding and stitching the parts, theconstruction 2 of reference indicate like parts inthe several views,and:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the front of'a pair of trousers andshowing a pair of pleats and associated blind belt straps.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the rear of a pair of trousers showingtwo rear pleats and the blind belt straps associated therewith.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isan enlarged detail section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing the slitting of the material ofafront panel in the first step of forming the arrangement for producingthe pleats and blind belt straps, thebroken lines indicating the lineson which the material adjacent the slits is folded.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view' from the front of the garmentwith the material'adjacent the slits folded.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view from the inside of the garment, the viewshowing the parts disclosed in Fig. 6.

' Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. V i

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. '1 but showing the back cover in placeand stitched. Fig. 10' is a view of a rear panel showingthe slittingforming the first step "in the production of the strap or loop, brokenlines indicatingthe lines on which material adjacent the slits is andmethod being hereinafter fully described, il- 7 folded. I

Fig. 11 is a view from inside the garment showing the portions adjacentthe slits drawn to} gether and sewed. Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig.9 but disclos ing the arrangement at a rear panel of a garment. Fig. 13is a section on the line I 3-! of Fig. 12, Fig. 14 is a vertical sectionshowing the manner of securing the back pocket of a garment by stitchingand disclosing the relation of the pocket to the'blind belt strap. jFig. 15 is an elevation of the inside of the upper part of a portion ofa garment with the apron and stiffening strip used in the invention inplacei Fig. 16 isan enlarged view ofpart of Fig.' 15 with apron foldedup to better disclose the stif fening strip. Fig. 17 is a greatlyenlarged fragmentary sec tion of the device and taken on the line l'lllofFig.15. V Fig. 18 is an enlarged section on the line 'I 8l 8 of Fig.15.

Fig. 19 is a rear elevation of a portion of a pair of trousers embodyingthe present invention and showing a belt, blind belt strap and a pocketopening.

Fig. 20 is an elevation from the inside of the trousers showing theparts behind those shown in Fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is an interior perspective view of a portion of a pair oftrousers showing formation of a pleat and t e related parts.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged section on the line 2222 of Fig. 21. v

Fig. 23 is an enlarged section on the line 23-4-3- of Fig. 21.

Referring now to the arrangement shown. the front of a pair of trousersand asshown in Fig. 1 and Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive, the waist line isshown at l and extending down. from thewaist line is a right front panelI I and a left front panel l2. v

In the first step in forming a blind belt loop at theiront; of the;trousers the material is slit vertically downward from its upper edge1-3 to provide the two slits l4; and I5. These slits are parallel, theslit- IA being at the hip side of the panel and the slit t5 being on thefly l6 side of the, panel. The-slits l4 and [5 are of preferably equallength and from the lower ends of these slits extend transverse slits Hand It, the slit ll bein s orter than the slit i8. Intermediate thelengths of the slits I4 and I5 preferably short slits 1e ex endb th drections: fr m e h Slit l4 and IS, the purpose of providing these slitsIt bein t av wrinkl n wh n. the par a j thQsli-ts I4 and I5 are,respectively folded inwardly on lines. and-20ato; provide substantiallyrectangular first. flaps: 2 I: and 2 la. Also the material creased or flded o lines 2 and '2 a paral l t the slits M and l 5 respectively.These-creases resneeti eln tel-mth We pleat: dges of a pleated portionof; the garment. Then the; creases or fold edges formed at 22 and 22aare brought respectively into contact with the flaps; 2+ and 211 alonthe. fold; lines; 20: and- Zlla. These creases and the contactingportions at Zll and 20a are'then secured mlwsiti'onybyblind'stitchings25 which extend from the garment edge to points 25a at which the upperedges of the belt 100. 26 begin, these side edges being from the body ofthe-garment to their lower ends.- at ZBb. It willbe, seen that theportions of the-garment between the slits and told lines, when arranged.asabove described leaves; seconds flaps 2.4 at: the upper edges of thepleat folds, each of said second flaps 24 cover-- ing the siialle.definedbysaid vertical and transversaslits. Eachof the-first flaps2-land; 2111 are formed from the material which occupied the spacedefined by" said slitsbeiore cutting. This sewing of the folds as.described produces a gathering of the; material at the waist and assistsin tormi-ng; the pleatxon each front panel. The materialbetweentheslits. l4.- andi5 has, order to, prevent wear at: theedges oithe loop, aline of stitching 21 extending; from the edge 13 down belowthe lower: end. of the loop 26, the stitching 21. beingdoubledg back asat. 28. It will now be seen from Fig. 1- that; each of the belt loopsforms part. of the upper end; of; a front double pleat 29 and: eachloop; is made from the material of the garment without severancetherefrom.-

. It will: also be plain that the side.- edges of the blind bel-t. lOQQsare spaced circu'mferent'rally of the garment and, before insertion of abelt: are dis uised s y a flush. with. the adja ent ody portions of suchgarment.

.1 order o; fiectuell prevent: the end; ot 7.5

belt being inserted in a belt loop from passing through the gap behindthe loop to feed between the trousers and underwear, there is provided acover strip 39 which is located within the trousers to lie behind thegap. Stitching 3| at the side edges of the member 30 holds said membersecurely in place and also passes through the fold portions at the sidesof the loops 26.

One form of the invention for use on the back of trousers is shown inFig. 2 and Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive. As shown in Fig. 10 vertical slits32 extend downwardly from the edge l3 and at each 5166 Qt the slits 32-preferably short slits or notches 33' extend into the material, suchshort slits being for the purpose of avoiding bunching up of the flapswhen folded on the fold lines 34. It will be seen that. the fold lines34 preferably converge downwardly so that, by folding on these lines,the edges of the flaps 35 formed by the slits 32 will also convergedownwardly upon the folded edges sfibeing. brought. together. The foldededges are. blind stitched together at their upper parts as at 31 and areleft free from each other for sufficient distance below the blindstitching to form. the entries of the belt strap 38 at each side of therear of the trousers. Extending down from the .edge 13 are stitch1ines39 which lie close to. the. strap edges and terminate in. upwardlyextending fold lines. The stitch lines. 39 serve to hold. the folded,edges. of. the belt. strap from fraying and separating-- As. in. thefront of the garmentthe drawing together of the folded edges causesgathering of the. material as though gores were. cut. in the materialand. the edges of the sores-drawn together, the effect being to providefullness of material, said material being then stitched, to form,pleats. 4.1 below the belt loop. or belt strap portions. A rear coverstrip 42 is securedto theinner face of the. garment by stitchingtfilocated on the flap 35. opposed to that flap 35 hrough whiehthestitching 39 is. located. This cover strip closes. the gap beneath thebelt strap as at the trout of. the. trousers and for the same purposethe. stitching, extending. through the cover strips, flaps 35' and mainparts of the. ma-

terial.-.

Spaced. below the belt straps 38 the. material is slit. along. a. line44 transversely and turned under to form hems 4.4- (Fig. 14),. Eachpocket 45 of theusual bag like form has, its upper edges provided withbindings-46 secured by stitching 4.1-. The bindings 46 project between,the. hems 44' and. are there.- secured by the stitching. 48.

In Figs... 15. to 18. inclusive s. shown the. manner of finishing thegarmentat the. waist line, so. that he sual waist band. at the. top of,the trousers eliminated. In this arrangement the. upper edge of thegarment is folded inwardly and downwardly as. at 49. behind. the body 51of the fabric... To. this. folded. edge below the. top thereof there issecured the. folded upper edge. 5| of an apron 5.2, the stitching beingshown at 53.. A stifiening. strip. 54 ofbuckramhair cloth, or othersuitable materialhas. its upper edgev projecting into the fold 49 andthere held by the stitching 53. As shown in Fig. 118. the upper edge ofthe strip. l54= extends above the upper edge of the apron 52 and seatsagainst the. inside of the bandproducing the edge 49, this edge beingheld between the apron and the stiffener strip and thus. holding theupper edge from projecting into sight. above the top of the fold- 49aThe lower edge of the apron may be, leftfreeor may be doubled upwardlyas at 55 andsecured to the stiftenerstri by Stitching 5.6..

and the cover strips.

If desired, the upper edge of the trousers may be finished by a waistband '5'! held by stitching 58 as shown best in Fig. 3.

The belt, B, in its relation to the invention, is

shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3.

Figs. 19 and 20 a modification of the hip pocket arrangement is shown.Here the pocket edges 46 are shown as at the lower ends of thecontacting fold edges 34, the pocket itself being shown at 45'.Otherwise this modification is like that shown in Figs. to 14.

In Figs. 21 to 23 there is shown the manner in which the pleating isobtained. Here the edges of the double edged pleat 59 are formed bylaterally spaced knife pleats 60, the fold edge 6! of one of whichcontacts the fold edge 62 formed by the flaps 2|.

The production of trousers or other garments having concealed beltentries in the back waist portion is claimed in copending applicationSerial No. 216,933, filed March 22, 1951.

7 What is claimed as new, is:

1. A pair of trousers provided with concealed belt loops and having avertical pleat on one side of the front center, said pleat extendingacross the waist region of the trousers, said trousers having a firstflap folded in a direction opposite to the fold of the pleat and alongan outer fold edge extending upwardly at the waist region from atransverse slit, said first fiap having a, vertioally extending inneredge which has been slit from the front wall of the trousers, the lowerend of said edge defining the lower extremity of the vertical slit, afolded second fiap having an outer edge, said second flap extendingacross the waist region of the front wall of the trousers and beingfolded under the pleat of the trousers, said outer edges of the flapsbeing secured at the top of the trousers, the fold edges of the flapsbeing disposed adjacent one another to form one concealed entry of abelt loop, said second flap covering the space defined by said verticaland transverse slits, the first flap having been formed from thematerial which occupied said space.

2. A pair of trousers provided with concealed belt loops and having avertical pleat on one side of the front center, said pleat extendingacross the waist region of the trousers, said trousers having a firstflap folded in a direction opposite to the fold of the pleat and alongan outer fold edge extending upwardly at the waist region from atransverse slit, said first flap having a vertically extending inneredge which has been slit from the front wall of the trousers, the lower1 end' of said edge defining the lower extremity of the vertical slit, afolded second flap having an outer edge, said second flap extendingacross the waist region of the front wall of the trousers and beingfolded under the pleat of the trousers, said outer edges of the flapsbeing secured at the top of the trousers, the fold edges of the flapsbeing disposed adjacent one another to form one concealed entry of abelt loop, said second fiap covering the space defined by said verticaland trans- .verse slits, the first flap having been formed from thematerial which occupied said space, said entry having a point ofseparation from the lower portion of each pleat and downwardly extendingstitches at the edge of the pleat below the point of separation.

" 3. A front trouser panel having a waist region, avertical pleat on oneside of the front center, said pleat extending across the said waistregion, r a vertically extending slit at the waist region and under thepleat, a transverse slit at the lower end 'of the vertical slit andunder the pleat, and a side flap defined by said slits and foldedinwardly from the intersection of said slits, said pleat concealing thespace from which said inwardly folded side flap is taken.

4. A front trouser panel having a waist region, a. vertical pleat on oneside of the front center, said pleat extending across said region, avertically. extending slit at the waist region and under the pleat, anda transverse slit at the lower end of the vertical slit and under thepleat, said panel having inwardly folded flaps, one thereof beingdefined by said slits and folded inwardly from the intersection of saidslits, the spacefrom which the flap defined by said slits is taken beingconcealed by. the pleat.

5. The method of forming a concealed belt loop Imember in an article ofapparel provided with a vertical pleat on one side of the front centerof the article,'comprising slitting the material of the articledownwardly from the waist region of the article and transversely theretoto form a flap portion extending upwardly from the transverse slit,folding the flap portion defined by the vertical and transverse slitsinwardly from the intersection of said slits on a fold edge extendingup- "wardly from the end of the transverse slit towards the waist edge,concealing by said pleat the space left when said'flap portion is turnedinwardly, and securing the waist edge portion of the pleat member at itstop.

6.. The method of forming a concealed belt loop member on one side ofthe front center of an article of apparel provided with a vertical pleathaving a pleat line, comprising slitting the material of the articledownwardly from the waist edge and transversely thereto to form a firstflap portion extending upwardly from the transverse slit, folding theflap portion defined by the vertical and transverse slits inwardly fromthe intersection of said slits and backwardly on the material of thearticle on a fold edge extending upwardly from the end of the transverseslit and towards the waist edge of the article, forming at the waistregion a second flap portion folded back from the front of the articlealong said pleat line and disposed under the pleat of the article andcovering the space from which said first flap portion is taken, andsecuring said flap portion and edge portion at the top of the article ofapparel and adjacent one another to provide a concealed loop entry.

7. A front trouser panel having a waist region, a vertical pleat havinga pleat line, said pleat extending across said region, a verticallyextending slit at the waist region and under the pleat and a transverseslit at the lower end of the vertical slit and under the pleat, saidpanel having inwardly folded flaps, one of said flaps being inwardlyfolded along said pleat line and the other of said flaps being foldedinwardly from the intersection of said slits along an outer fold edgeextending upwardly at the waist region from said transverse slit, saidlatter flap being formed from the material defined by said slits, thespace from which the flap defined by said slits is taken being concealedby the pleat.

8. In a'garment having double edged pleats, belt-receiving channels, oneportion of the material defining each belt-receiving channel being.iormed integrally and continuously with each of said pleats, the latterbeing provided with side edges, said channel member having inwardlyfielded side flaps provided with side edges, each of said side flapsbeing cut from a portion of the garment material, the space from whichone of 'the 'i-nwardly folded side flaps is taken being concealed by anupper portion of one of the pleats, th'e top waist edges of the pleatsbeing secured at the top, the upper side edges of each pleat beingadjacent the circumferentially spaced side edges .of each of thebelt-receiving channel members and disguising the emergentcircumferentially spaced side edges or said channel members.

9. In a garment having double edged pleats,

belt-receiving channels, one portion of the matedefining eachbelt-receiving channel being formed integrally and continuously witheach of said pleats, the latter being provided with side edges, saidchannel member having inwardly folded side fians provided with sideedges, each at said side flaps being cut from a portion of the garmentmaterial, the space from which one of .thexinwardly folded side flaps istaken being concealed by an upper portion of one of the pleats, the topwaist edges of the pleats being secured at the top, the upper side edgesof each pleat being adjacent the circumferentially spaced side edges of.each of the belt-receiving channel members and disguising the emergentcircumierentially spaced side edges of said channel members, and a coverstrip within the garment and spanning the space between thecircumferentially spaced side edges of each channel. member.

l0. In a garment having double edged pleats, belt-receiving channels,one portion of the material defining each belt-receiving channel beingformed integrally and continuously with each of said pleats, the latterbeing provided with side edges, said channel member having inwardlyfolded side flaps provided with side edges, each of. said side flapsbeing cut from a portion of the garment material, the space from whichone of the inwardly folded side flaps is taken being concealed by anupper portion of one of the pleats, the top waist edges of the pleatsbeing secured. at the top; the upper side edges of each pleat: beingadjacent the circumferentially spaced side edges of each of thebelt-receiving channel members and disguising the emergentcircumierentially spaced side edges of said channel members, said edgesbeing sewed together at their upperparts and free laterally from thebody of the material below the sewed parts for a predetermined distance.

I1. A pair of trousers provided with concealed belt loops and having avertical pleat on one side of the front center body material, said pleatextending across the waist region of the trousers, said: trousers havinga first flap folded in a direction opposite: to the fold of the pleatand along an outer fold edge extending upwardly at the waist region froma transverse slit, said first flap having a vertically extending inneredge which has been slit from the front wall of the trousers, the lowerend of said edge defining the lower extremity of the vertical slit, afolded second flap having an outer edge, said second flap extendingacross the Waist region of the frontwall of the trousers and beingfolded under the pleat of the trousers, said outer fold edges of theflaps having been brought together to form contacting fold edges, thelatter edges being sewed together at their upper parts and freelaterally from the body of the material below the sewed parts for apredetermined distance to form the concealed entry of a beltr loop, saidsecond flap covering the space defined by said vertical and transverseslits, the first fiap having been formed from the material whichoccupied said space, said garment having a similarly iormed concealedbelt entry circumferentially spaced from and in circumferentialalinement with said first concealed entry and providing therewith a beltloop, and a cover strip within the garment at the belt loop and spanningthe belt loop.

12.. A. pair of trousers provided with concealed belt loops and having avertical pleat on one side of the iront center body material, saidpleatextending across the waist region of the trousers, said trousers havinga first flap folded in a direction opposite to the fold of the pleatand. along an outer foldedge extending upwardly at the waist region froma transverse slit, said first fiaphaving. a vertically extending inneredge which has been slit from the front wall of the trousers, the lowerend of said edge defining the lower extremity of the vertical slit, afolded second flap having an outer edge, said second flap extendingacross the Waist region of the front wall of the trousers and beingfolded under the pleat of the trousers, said outer fol-d edges of theflaps having been brought together to form contacting fold edges, thelatter edges being sewed together at their upper parts and freelaterally from the body of the material below the sewed parts for apredetermined distance to form the concealed entry of a belt'loop, saidsecond fiap covering, the space defined by said vertical and transverseslits, the first fiap having been formed from the material whichoccupied said space, said garment having a similarly formed concealedbelt entry circumferentially spaced from and in circumferentialalinement with said first concealed entry and providing therewith a beltloop, a cover strip within the garment at the belt loop and. spanningthebelt loop, the garment having its upper edge turned inwardly'anddownwardly to form a circumferentially extending fiap, an aprondepending from said last flap and having its upper edge stitchedthereto, and a stiffener strip stitched to the apron and having itsupper edge extending above said apron between said last mentioned flapand the body of the garment material.

JOSEPH SINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Co-., Inc. 1947, p. 54.

